Bulldawgs look to slow down explosive Rio Rancho offense

LAS CRUCES – After a 49-41 loss in Week 3 to Rio Rancho Cleveland, it was apparent that the Las Cruces High football team needed to improve defensively.

The Bulldawgs had given up 45 points in a 49-45 win over Albuquerque Eldorado to open the season. Since the loss to the Storm, LCHS has improved defensively every single week, holding Cleveland to just seven points in its 45-7 Class 6A state semifinal win last weekend.

Las Cruces is giving up just 13.4 points per game since the loss in Week 3 to Cleveland and has been able to slow down pretty good offenses in Hobbs, Centennial and Mayfield.

“We felt like after that Cleveland loss, it was a great learning moment for us as players and as a staff,” Bulldawgs coach Mark Lopez said. “Credit to coach (Jason) Salas and our defensive staff, they have done a great job every week in developing a game plan that we can execute and that we can go out there and attack people. We have done a great job of that. Our guys have done a great job of carrying out their responsibilities. I feel like we have gotten better and better at what we are doing.”

Las Cruces hasn’t given up more than 14 points in its last three games (Mayfield, Clovis and Cleveland) and has also found ways to create turnovers, including two Kennedy Aleman interceptions last week.

“Our defensive coordinator always says it starts up front,” LCHS junior Brandon Baeza said. “Our front four have done a good job of containing all the run teams that we have played like Carlsbad and Clovis. That’s what really starts our game off for our defense is how our front four does and we follow them. That’s a big part of our defense.”

The Bulldawg defense might have its biggest test of the season on Saturday against Rio Rancho High in the Class 6A state title game. LCHS will look to slow down a Rams offense that is averaging 45.3 points per game and has scored 31 points or more in every game this season.

Las Cruces will look to slow down one of the top running backs in the state in Josh Foley, who’s rushed for 1,872 yards and 30 touchdowns while averaging 10.1 yards a carry. If Foley breaks lose, he’s pretty hard to catch.

“For us, it starts up front,” Lopez said. “If you can’t control it up front, you can’t control your gaps and if we can’t do those things up front, then everything else really doesn’t matter. This week, that is going to be at a premium. You’re facing the top running back in the state and probably the most explosive player in the state in Foley. All he needs is a little crease and he’s gone. No one has caught him this year and we know that going in. It’s easier said than done, but we have to find a way to contain him.”

The Bulldawgs will also look to slow down Rio Rancho quarterback Nic Little, who’s had a solid season with 1,767 yards passing, 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while rushing for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns.

“They do a good job of your scheme by making sure you can’t focus on one guy,” Lopez said.